Can I Delete Windows Installer Files

When you update your PC from an existing Windows installation, the old files remain on your hard bulldoze. They are saved there instead of existence overwritten because something might go wrong during the update installation, or because you might want to whorl your PC back to a previous installation if you aren't happy with the new stuff.

If, however, the update to Windows 10 goes smoothly, and y'all're sure you lot don't want to return to a previous version of Windows, you can delete those one-time installation files to free upwards space on your difficult bulldoze. This is specially important for anyone using a device with a smaller solid-land drive (SSD).

19GB is a lot of space on a Surface Pro 4 with a 128GB SSD

Although removing old Windows installation files won't impairment your PC, it'southward e'er a good idea to back everything up in instance something goes incorrect. Once you're certain you're completely satisfied with the Creators Update, this guide tin can help free up space on your hard bulldoze.

How to delete old Windows installation files

Removing old Windows installation files can't exist washed by merely selecting them and moving them to the Recycle Bin. Yous have to use Disk Cleanup, but luckily the procedure is unproblematic and won't have long.

Right-click the Showtime button.
Click Search.
Type Disk Cleanup.
Correct-click Disk Cleanup.
Click Run equally administrator.
Click the dropdown arrow below Drives.
Click the drive that holds your Windows installation. If you lot just have one drive in your PC, this pick window will non appear; your C: drive volition automatically be selected.
Click OK.
Click the checkbox next to Previous Windows installation(southward) so that a checkmark appears.
Click the checkbox next to whatsoever other options to select or deselect whether or non they're likewise removed. You might also desire to choose to remove the post-obit options:
- Temporary Windows installation files.
- Windows upgrade log files.
Click OK.
Click Delete Files.

Once the old installation files are removed, yous won't be able to ringlet back to a previous version of Windows. Unless y'all accept a secondary backup that you lot tin can restore from, you'll have to do a clean install of Windows to return to a previous state. So make sure you lot're actually fix before you remove the sometime files.

More resources

Don't forget to create a fill-in of your data whenever you can. To help, we created a guide featuring a agglomeration of different means to accomplish this. If you'd similar more than information on the latest Windows 10 update, the Creators Update, be sure to check out our Senior Editor Zac Bowden'due south definitive review.

Six easy and constructive ways to support your PC
The definitive Windows 10 Creators Update review